Life's Tough
by ScorpiaS
Summary: Manny Santos. 10th grade.She has a daughter, only 6 months old, Carmelita.
1. Too Hard

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Degrassi or any of its characters, etc, I don't know who Manny's parents are so I'm making   
  
all that up.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my second Degrassi fan fiction, and I do not know how the characters might REALLY act in a  
  
situation like this, so, yeah.   
  
SUMMARY: A fanfiction about Manny. 10th grade. She has a daughter, only 6 months old, Carmelita.   
  
Shows flashbacks of what happened. Now she's stressed and is extremely worried about finals. She's  
  
thinking of quitting school, but her best friend Emma is by her side.   
  
-Rated PG-13 for mild language and sexual content.-  
  
Chapter One-   
  
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My life is screwed. I just can't handle all this anymore. But I am definetely not going to get help. I'm not a baby, I don't want  
  
to be called unresponsible. It's just too much. God, I need a break. Saturdays I work at the ice rink, and Sundays  
  
I'm taking care of Carmel, cleaning my room, (Dad made and extension for a nursery for Carmel.) And Mom and Dad are  
  
always busy with something. Mom's a lawyer, Dad's a plastic surgeon. We live in a humungous house on Bulton Road, in a   
  
neighborhood full of other humungous houses.   
  
Emma's only been here once. It's kind of shocking since we've been friends for such a long time. Emma seems so   
  
perfect compared to me. She has this adorable baby brother, who could be my SON. Sigh. It's like yesterday when I found out I was  
  
pregnant with Carmel.  
  
FLASHBACK ---------------------  
  
"No, this can't be happening." I was sprawled on Emma's bed, crying.  
  
"It's okay, Manny, it is. Um, you can have an abortion. Or, or someone could adopt the baby." Emma was trying  
  
to be helpful. Yeah right.   
  
"Emma!! I am against abortions. I know you are too. What am I gonna tell my parents?? 'Oh, Mom, Dad, I'm pregnant.  
  
Don't worry, I'll put it up for adoption after it's born.' God." Emma looked worried.  
  
"Tell them what happened. About.. about Tommy. Tell them everything."  
  
END OF FLASHBACK -------------------  
  
I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. Carmel crying. I turned it off and walked over to her crib, picked her  
  
up, and comforted her. "Shhh, it's okay Carmelita. Shhh." I sang her a lullaby and she quieted down. Mom came upstairs   
  
as I finished getting ready for work. "Ok, Manny, I'll see you at six then?" I nodded and kissed her and Carmel on the cheek,  
  
and walked downstairs into the kitchen. Marla, our cook, smiled as I walked in and handed my a donut which I stuffed  
  
into my mouth and then put on my shoes and grabbed my bag. "Seeya Marla," I said as I walked out the front door.  
  
Work was boring, which it usually isn't. I love skating around with little kids and teaching them new tricks. But today  
  
I wasn't cheerful and excited like I always was. The kids expected it, but when I skated into the rink they looked like they needed  
  
a cheery Manny today. I forced a smile and used a perky voice. "Hey guys! Ready for some fun? Come on, I know a great  
  
game we can all play." I actually didn't, but I searched in my brain for a game I knew that they didn't. We ended up playing   
  
a couple of them, and then it was time to work out a routine. They had to learn a 2 minute routine for a skating competition that  
  
comes every month. I was their "coach."  
  
After work I was exhausted, and I practically dragged myself out of the building. As I slowly walked home, a red station wagon  
  
stopped by me. It was Tommy. "Hey babe. Want a ride?" I scowled and spit into his face. "Leave me alone, asshole." He laughed and slowly rode  
  
by my side as I walked. I tried running but he would still ride by. When I got home, he was still there. "Get away or I'll set the  
  
dogs on you." He laughed again, but this time rode off.  
  
FLASHBACK ---------------------  
  
"Tommy, I'm not sure if I'm ready for this." I was nervous. We were on his bed, and he was taking his shirt off.  
  
"Of course you are. Come on." He seemed ready, I didn't.   
  
"Do you have protection?" That was another thing that scared me.  
  
"Don't worry babe, don't worry."   
  
Before you knew it, our clothes were on the floor and I wasn't thinking. It was just happening. Just like that.  
  
END OF FLASHBACK -------------------  
  
As I walked inside, Mom handed my Carmel and rushed out the door. "New case," she called as she got into her   
  
BMW. I sighed and put my bag down, took of my shoes, and trudged upstairs where Marla was preparing a (delicous) meal for dinner.  
  
"Smells great, Marla." I called to her. She thanked me and I went into my room, layed Carmel by my side, and fell asleep. 


	2. No Help

Chapter Two-  
  
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I woke up to Mom shaking me. I could tell she was mad. "Manuella Santos!!!! HOW could you be so irresponsible?" Looks like my grammar was wrong.  
  
I had grown up believing I was "unresponsible." Ah well. When I opened my eyes, she was holding Carmel in one hand, shaking her fist at me   
  
with the other. "You should have put her in her crib! What in the world were you thinking? She almost rolled off before I got here!" I opened my mouth to say, "I wasn't thinking," but that wouldn't  
  
help so I didn't say anything. I got out of bed, and noticed that it was 9:00. Only 9. I took Carmel from her and scowled. "Don't freak out! Jeez! I just took a nap  
  
with MY daughter, it's not like I put her on a saw table!!" I walked off, leaving her there. She was probably rewinding in her head of what just happened.  
  
I put on my shoes and coat, and decided to go to Emma's.   
  
Her mom looked like she expected it. When do you expect Manny Santos and her baby to arrive at 9? If your daughter was Emma, that's when. She let me in, and I walked to Emma's room.   
  
I sat down on her bed and sighed. "Are you okay?" She asked me. "Yeah," I lied. We talked a bit, and then played with Carmel. Emma took Mr. Simpson's old wig and we put it on Carmel's  
  
head. She laughed the whole time. I love her laugh. It was getting late, and Carmel was very sleepy. As I was walking home, guess who I bumped into AGAIN?  
  
Tommy was walking, (surprisingly) and while I was buttoning up Carmel's jacket we literally bumped into each other. At first he smiled, but when he saw Carmel he tried rushing past me.  
  
I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward me. "Stop it. Don't run away like you did. Look your daughter in the eye and tell her you love her. If you don't, never get near me again."  
  
He hesitated, then shook my grip off and walked away. I ran home, tears streaming down my eyes.   
  
FLASHBACK ---------------------  
  
"Tommy, I have to tell you something."  
  
"Let's get to the movies first, k babe?"   
  
"No, Tommy. Now."  
  
He sighed. "What is it?"  
  
"Tommy, you got me pregnant."  
  
He laughed. "Stop kidding me, come on, we'll be late." He pulled my arm.  
  
"I'm NOT joking Tommy!" I was crying now.   
  
He shook his head and pulled me along to the movies. I hated him now. I despised him.  
  
"Let me go." I ordered. He did, and I ran off.   
  
END OF FLASHBACK -------------------  
  
The next day, I was getting ready to take Carmel to the park when I got a phone call. I have my own phone, and usually only Emma calls,  
  
so I casually answered it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Look, Babe, I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?" I wanted to see what he would say.  
  
"The whole sex thing, I should have bought protection and stuff."   
  
I wanted to reach into the phone and wring his neck.  
  
"You think this is about protection?? Tommy, it's too late!! Carmel is here, and she's your daughter if you like it or not!! Can't you just accept it the way it is? Life's tough!"  
  
I hung up, and wiped the tears from my face. Carmel was crying now, she needed a new diaper. I changed it, and then Mom came up.  
  
"Manny, dear, I can't take care of Carmelita on weekdays. This case is on a roll. But I just called Wanda, she's an expert on babies, and she'll be Carmelita's babysitter everyday,  
  
except Sundays. Okay?" I nodded. It didn't matter, as long as SOMEONE was here with her. I dressed Carmel, and before you knew it we were out on the block walking to the park. I was to meet Emma there. Jack would be with her.   
  
When we got to the park, Emma was pushing Jack on the baby swing. I put Carmel in the one next to Jack's, and Emma and I started talking.  
  
"So, you did break up with Tommy, didn't you?" she asked me.  
  
"Emma, I broke up with him right after I told him I was pregnant."   
  
"Yeah, I was just checking."  
  
"Okay."   
  
We stayed silent for a while, until Emma spoke up.   
  
"After this, do you want to go to the mall or something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
I haven't been in the mall since Carmel was born, and Mom didn't give me any extra money except for "Baby Money" as she likes to call it. Emma took Jack back, and I had to   
  
take care of Carmel today anyway, so I took her along. We were looking around and then we came upon the baby store, "Baby Wonderland." I oohed and aahed my way through,  
  
Emma behind me. I found a cute outfit for Carmel, and when I was finished Emma looked at me like I transformed into someone else in front of her eyes. "Wow, Manny,  
  
I never knew you were so into this." I looked at her. "Into it? Since when do I have to be 'into it?' I'm a mom now, I have to do mom things." I added something. "And be a normal  
  
teenager." She looked relieved, and we walked around a bit more until we got bored and didn't have any money left.   
  
As we walked out of the mall, we were headed toward Emma's house, but I changed my mind. "Hey, Em, wanna come to my house?" She seemed okay with it. "Okay, let me use  
  
your cell phone." I handed her my phone and she called her house. Her mom said it was okay, and we headed toward my house.   
  
"I don't really remember how you met Tommy. I just know one day you called me and were so excited because you had found a boyfriend that you thought would.." she hesitated, "treat you right."  
  
I sighed, but I wanted to get it all out. "Well, last year, I was at the Dot and he was sitting there, and he looked confused so I went over to help him out. We started talking, and he told me  
  
that he was a new 10th grader, his name was Tommy, and stuff like that. We decided to meet at the Dot the next day, and it went on like that until we had real dates.  
  
Then I guess we were officially together, and then I called you." Emma nodded. I knew she felt sorry for me, so I guess I sort of read her mind.  
  
"Emma, don't feel sorry for me. Don't. I am lucky to have Carmel. She is the cutest baby you could ever see, don't you think?" She smiled and nodded again. "And plus, if I never   
  
went to the Dot that day, I would have met him anyway, probably. And if I didn't, this cute little thing would have never been born." I took Carmel's hand and pretended to talk "baby talk" with her.   
  
Carmel giggled and Emma laughed. When we got to my house, we went upstairs to my room. I sat down on my computer to check my e-mails. One from some girls in her Social Studies group,  
  
one was spam, and then... oh no. One from Mr. Simpson. I gulped. Emma came by me and looked over my shoulder. "Snake? Why would he e-mail you?" I knew why. It had to do with my   
  
grades. I didn't tell Emma that. I pretended not to look worried. "I'll check it later. It's nothing. Probably just a notice or something, he sends those a lot, right?" Emma nodded but I knew she   
  
was suspicious.  
  
We got up on my bed and I put Carmel in my lap. We looked through some magazines, and cut out pictures of guys we thought were hot to make a collage later. Emma sighed. "School night today. I can't stay late."  
  
I looked at the clock and it was almost 9. "Yeah, it's dark now. Want my mom to drive you?" She shook her head. "No, it's okay." But right at that minute Mom came in and smiled. "Hey Emma!" She glanced at the window.  
  
"It's pretty dark. And I think it will rain. Let me drive you home, okay?" Emma smiled and thanked her. As they headed out the door, I waved to Emma and Carmel did too.  
  
The next day, Monday, school day. I woke up earlier than usual, and after I got ready I checked Mr. Simpson's e-mail. It said:  
  
Manny,  
  
You're falling behind. If you need extra help after school, talk to me and I can arrange something, maybe tutoring. I know it's been tough for you  
  
at home, but I just want to let you know that we here at the school are here if you need help. Don't be ashamed if you do. If you don't want it,  
  
please try and bring up your grades a bit. The finals are near. I truly don't want you to fail.  
  
-Mr. Simpson  
  
I sighed. Help? That's exactly what I was trying to avoid. I guess it isn't working. Okay, Mr. Simpson, I'll try to bring my grades up a bit. There's no way I'm getting tutored after school.  
  
The doorbell rang and I rushed down to get the door. A tall, frizzy brown haired woman stood at the door. She had a big pink duffel bag that had ducks all over it. "Hello, I'm Wanda Pinkton.   
  
I'll be Carmelita's babysitter." I smiled and greeted her inside. "You can call her Carmel for short. I lead her upstairs and into the small nursery, and she inspected it. "I like the atmosphere,  
  
perfect for a baby. Well done." I thanked her, and left out the part that Mom hired a specialist to do it. I went downstairs and ate a great breakfest made by Marla, and then zoomed out the door onto my bike. 


	3. A New Friend

Chapter Three-  
  
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When I got to shool, Emma was waiting for me. "Hey," I said cheerily. I didn't want to look like I had a rough night or had school trouble. I locked my bike to the   
  
bike rack and we walked inside. I had Mr. Simpson's class first, and homeroom also. Emma (thank god) was in the same class and homeroom too. J.T. smiled at me   
  
when I walked in the room. "Hello, Manny, you're looking great as always." I said thanks and sat down at my seat. Ever since I had Carmel, I cooled off on my clothing style,  
  
and wore jeans and baggy sweatshirts mostly. J.T. still complimented me. He's so sweet. I signed up for some sessions at the town gym, because I wanted to get back   
  
into shape and not lose it. Hello, I'm only 15!   
  
After Mr. Simpson's, he asked to talk to me. "Yes, I got your e-mail. I'll try, Mr. S." I said before he spoke up. He smiled and said, "Yes, that's one thing I was going to ask you. But also,  
  
if you do feel pressured, feel free to stop by and I have a list of phone numbers and addresses." I smiled and nodded, and then walked out. A list? I don't want a damn list! Do you think  
  
a list of some old people who don't know what it's it like will help? Have they been so into a guy that they ended up with a baby? Were they 15 when they faced motherhood problems?  
  
Really. I sighed, and went to my locker. As I shut it and turned around to go to class, I saw Craig walking with Paige. Oh well, who cares, I thought. Craig is so last year.  
  
School ended just a couple minutes ago. I'm at my locker, with Emma by my side. We decided to go to my house. Ever since yesterday she fell in love with the place, so I decided  
  
it would be cool for her to come more often. We walked out of school. I felt much better outside. I guess just knowing that I'm in a place that will decided whether or not I will  
  
succeed in life makes me nervous. We talked about the collage we were going to do with the hot guy pictures we cut out. As we turned right toward my block, we spotted Tommy  
  
and a girl across the street. They were kissing. I pretended not to care. "Manny, do you see that?" I looked over there. "Of course, I'm not blind you know." I snapped at her. I didn't   
  
mean to, but she's Emma, and she understood.  
  
Tommy lived close by to me, a couple streets away, that's why I saw him so much. When we got to my house we went up to my room, and I decided to rummage through some old photos   
  
and things while Emma put together some of the collage. I was looking through a huge pile of photographs, when I found some of Angela, Craig's little sister. I frowned. I was mad at myself.  
  
Ever since I was pregnant with Carmel, I never went over to play with her. I know Emma used to baby-sit her. I turned around. "Hey, Emma, I have a better idea." She looked up. "Like what?"  
  
I smiled. "Let's go to Craig's." Emma's jaw dropped. "No, silly. Let's go for Angie. We'll bring Carmel along. Angie loves babies." Emma smiled back, and we ran downstairs and put on our shoes  
  
and coats. I put a small sweater on Carmel, and her pink little slippers. We decided to walk there, it wasn't that far.   
  
When we got there, I hesitated. Emma pulled my arm. "Come on. Don't be shy." She teased. We walked up the steps, and I knocked on the door. Craig, looking half sleepy, answered it. He looked  
  
surprised when he saw us. "Hi Craig." He stared for a minute, checking if this was real. "Hi. Uh, come on in." We stepped in, and then he closed the door behind us. "Well, I've been feeling  
  
kind of bad that I haven't visited Angie in a while. Is it okay if Emma tags along?" Craig smiled. "Yeah, yeah it's fine." He called up the stairs. "Angie! Guess who's here!" She walked slowly  
  
down the stairs and then put her head up to see who was there. She beamed. "Manny!! Emma!!" She zoomed down and hugged us both. "Who's that?" She asked, pointing to Carmel. I smiled.   
  
"This is Carmelita. But you can call her Carmel for short." Craig wasn't smiling now, but I intended on talking to him later. "She's your daughter? Wow! Look, Craig, Manny has a baby!" Craig put  
  
on a fake smile. "Yeah, Angie, I see."   
  
We went into the garage, and Angie went to get her toys. Emma set Carmel down and played with her, while I sat on the couch to talk to Craig. "Craig, it's not what it seems. You know, it's easier   
  
to talk to you now. And, well, with Tommy, I wasn't expecting Carmel or anything, it just happened-" Craig put his hand on mine to let me know he understood. "I know, Manny, I know." I smiled. "Thanks."  
  
Nothing was going to happen between us, I knew that. But I felt some other feeling toward Craig. Different from Emma, but almost the same. I could trust him. I had a feeling we would become better friends  
  
after that day. I just knew it.  
  
We played with Carmel and Angie, and Craig did too. But then it got late and Emma had to go home and so did I. Carmel was sleeping on my shoulder when I was about to walk out the garage door. Emma was   
  
gone, she had to get home earlier than I did. Craig stopped me. "Hey, do you want a ride? It's cold." I smiled at him. "Sure, thanks." He drove Carmel and me home, and as I thanked him Mom was coming outside.  
  
Craig drove away, and Mom looked at me suspicously. "Manny, why are you back with Craig?" I hated her jumping into conclusions. "We're not together. Trust me, mom. After Carmel, I'm not going to be   
  
ready for boyfriends just yet. He's a good guy. A good friend." Mom nodded and walked on. I watched her. She went to check the mail. "Aren't you supposed to do that in the morning?" I teased after her.   
  
She waved her hand at me and I went inside. I changed Carmel's diaper, it was full, and then tucked her into her crib. I bent over and kissed her small forehead. "Good night, my little angel."  
  
The next morning, Tuesday, wasn't any better than Monday. I mean, when I went to Craig's things seemed like they were getting better, but when I was sleeping on my bed I realized that they weren't, and   
  
that was just a good time. I sighed. It's morning, I'm dressed and ready, but an hour early. Carmel was awake and I was cradling her in my arms, singing her a lullaby. Mom came in, and she looked impressed.  
  
"You're not half bad a singer. No wonder Carmel falls asleep so smoothly." I smiled but kept singing. I had a good voice? I shrugged and then set Carmel down into her crib. Mom came in to borrow some pantyhose.  
  
So it wasn't a social visit. I went down, and surprisingly, had breakfast with Mom. There was a knock on the door, and I knew it was that Wanda girl. Carmel seemed to like her well enough. Mom answered it, and she smiled  
  
at Wanda. "Glad you're here so early! I was about to drive Manny early anyway." I glared at mom as if she transformed? Her? Drive me to school? Early?   
  
As we got into her car, I got silent. I didn't know what to say. But Mom had planned this, I could tell.  
  
"Manny, I need to talk to you about something."  
  
Yup, see, I was right.  
  
"Okay, about what?"  
  
"Well, your father and I, it's our 15 year anniversary in a couple of days, and we were thinking of going on a cruise to Hawaii for a month or so.  
  
Like a vacation."  
  
It didn't bother me.  
  
"Sure. Yeah, that's okay with me."  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief.   
  
"Okay, well, everything will be the same except that we won't be here."  
  
I nodded. I wonder why she thought I wouldn't agree to it. Oh well.   
  
When I got to school, I actually reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled, and hugged me back. "Have a great day." I grunted, like that would ever happen.  
  
Emma was by her locker, so I joined her after I put my bookbag in mine. We walked to homeroom together. When we walked in, there was Tommy. Again. I was getting sick of these  
  
"incidental" bump-ins with him. I sighed, but ignored him. But then Mr. Simpson called me over. "Hello, Manny. You know Tommy?" Of course I knew him. But Mr. Simpson didn't know   
  
him. At least, not about him. "Uh.. yeah." I answered. "Well, he is starting a slideshow project, but he doesn't know how to run the program. Maybe you can teach him?" I stopped breathing.  
  
Was he crazy? I can't stand being in the same room as him than teach him to use a slideshow program?! I knew when Mr. Simpson said "Maybe you can teach him," he meant it as  
  
an order I guess. So I had no choice but to agree. I spent the whole homeroom and Media Immersion class in a corner with Tommy. He would barely talk to me except to say stuff such  
  
as, "Uh huh," or "Yeah, I get it." Good. I didn't WANT to talk to him.  
  
At lunch, there he was again. Only he came after I was already half finished with my sandwhich. "Manny, thanks for teaching me the program. I was totally lost." I didn't look up at him, just  
  
nodded and said, "Mhmm." He walked off, probably offended. I hope he was offended. When school let out, Emma had to get to some piano lesson or something, so I decided to go to Craig's.   
  
When I got there, he answered the door, only this time, Paige was behind him. 


	4. Author's Note

--AUTHOR'S NOTE-- Thanks for all the great reviews everyone! To answer some questions, I decided to put this in. I'm going to upload chapter four as soon as possible. Ok, well, Manny's not going to have a boyfriend yet, she's not ready, and Craig is just her friend. With the Paige/Craig thing, it's from another fanfiction, "Out Of Control," by JasLovesSean. I'll explain in the fourth chapter. Okay, thanks again everyone! 


	5. Final Note

FINAL NOTE:  
  
I know this might be pathetic, but I won't continue the story. Yet. See, I'm to busy right now to even think about it. So, I might continue it later on, when I don't have so much loaded onto me. Okay, well, I hope you enjoyed the measly chapters I wrote so far. Okay, seeya.. lol.  
  
-Sandra 


End file.
